We are getting excited for our trip to the Franklin Park Zoo on Thursday! More information about the trip will go home on Wednesday. Students will need a completely disposable bagged lunch and drink. Chaperones will be riding on the bus with us and should plan to be at the school by 8:30am.
We have already started learning about animals and will learn more about mammals next week. The children will begin an individual innovation entitled, Mom and I Went to the Zoo, which they will bring home to read in a couple of weeks.
Students made crocodile and monkey puppets this week to use as props when we sing our zoo song. They are all so unique, because they draw and cut the parts of the puppet themselves. Mrs. McDonald and Mr. Doiron (our principals) joined us this afternoon as we sang!
The children continue to write in their journals and to illustrate poetry. We have been introducing various poems and chants, which help the children to hear rhymes. We finished another class book called “Did You Ever See…?” It’s silly but a great way to use rhyme! Please be sure to return class books on the next school day so we can continue circulating them!
We have started sending home papers for students to practice writing numerals. This is homework that they should return the next day. We ask that students use a pencil to write the numerals using the Fundations pencil grip (pinch the pencil close to the tip with thumb and pointer finger and use the rest of the fingers to rest on the table). All numbers and letters should be written from top to bottom. The Fundations papers are for students to practice at home. They do not need to be returned to school.
We have just finished our first topic in math and will be starting our next one next week. We will be doing a lot with comparing and ordering numbers in math. Students have shown a lot of improvement with writing their numbers.
I will be introducing students to a website that I like to use frequently, mostly with math, although it includes many subject areas. Please feel free to check it out ahead of time: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com. Click on “math games” and then under the heading “early math” click on the games “Count and Order,” “Order Numbers 1-10,” and “Count to 10.” These games help reinforce some of the concepts we are practicing in math. They are simple but the students typically enjoy them. There are many other games and activities on that website that your child would probably enjoy at home. I will use some of them throughout the year.
Don’t forget that there is no school on Monday due to Columbus Day weekend. Enjoy the extra day!
Melanie Duncan
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